6-Week Electives
July 21 - august 25, 2024
About Electives
The purpose of our electives is to engage and equip the people of our church with the Word for the roles God has given them. The classes survey a variety of doctrines or topics, helping us to grow in our walk with Jesus and in our relationships with each other. We’re eager to dive into these studies with you.
During the adult Electives, children, middle school, and high school students meet according to their grades.
Learn more on the Electives page
6-WEEK ELECTIVES
Sundays, July 21 – August 25, 11:00 AM
Reading for Joy:
Mark
Overview: The Gospel According to Mark is quick, efficient, and everything seems to happen “immediately.” Some have described it as “a race to the cross.” Often considered the first gospel written, what is it that Mark is seeking to relay to his readers? What major themes show up as he unfolds rather quickly Jesus’ life and ministry? Join us as we look at these questions and more to better understand what this treasured work has in store for us. We’ll consider questions that will press us to examine the text intentionally and read it with each other “one-to-one.” Our prayer is God will reveal mighty things through this testament of the life of His Son.
Teacher: Chad Asire
Week 1: Introduction to Mark & the COMA Method; Mark 1
Week 2: The Doctrine of Scripture; Mark 4
Week 3: Look Down: Close Context; Mark 5
Week 4: Look Back: Continuing Context: Mark 6
Week 5: Look Ahead: Complete Context; Mark 9
Week 6: Reading the Bible One to One; Mark 16:1-8
Taking Up Arms:
A Biblical Dive into Just War Theory
Overview: The worst thing humans can do to one another is end life. God considers this so egregious that in Genesis 9:6 he states, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” Jesus would later warn Peter as he attempts to fight, “Put your sword back in its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword (Matt. 26:52).” In light of this biblical witness, are Christians allowed to take up arms? If so, under what conditions may we do so? Join us for this 6-week study as we consider these questions and more to garner a biblical understanding of what constitutes a just war that Christians can support and in which they may even participate. We pray you come alongside us so that we can engage the conflicts of our day armed with knowledge from God’s word.
Teacher: Jim Knauss
Week 1: Warfare in the Old Testament
Week 2: Warfare in the New Testament
Week 3: Church History Voices on Just War Theory
Week 4: Components that Make up a Just War
Week 5: Government’s Role in a Just War
Week 6: The Christian’s Role in a Just War
Turn Back, I Love You:
Understanding Biblical Repentance
Overview: If you were asked to define “repentance”, what would you say? Is it a shift in thinking, possibly in behavior? Is it a work we must perform in order to obtain our salvation? How should Christians think about the command Paul gives in the Areopagus when he says, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30)?” Join us for this 6-week trek through the Bible as we examine how our relationships with God and others can flourish. We’ll examine warnings in people who refuse to repent and also a big mistake parents and grandparents make in teaching this important doctrine to their children. Our prayer is that you’ll come alongside us as we explore key Old and New Testament passages giving insights and applications into genuine repentance.
Teacher: Sandy McCormick
Week 1: Overview and Definition of Terms
Week 2: Repentance in the Pentateuch
Week 3: Repentance in Historical/Wisdom Books
Week 4: Repentance in the Prophets
Week 5: Repentance in the Gospels
Week 6: Repentance in Acts and the Epistles
Walking with our Ancestors:
A Historical Context of the Old Testament
Overview: John Walton coined the phrase “the Bible was written for us but not to us.” In other words, while the Bible is our source of authority for our lives as the word of God, it was written at a certain time and to certain people. It is our responsibility as Bible readers and interpreters to walk as closely as possible with the original audience seeking to grasp what they would have grasped. This class “Walking with our Ancestors” will explore the many historical contexts of the Old Testament in the hope of gaining a better understanding of the original audience and implications for the gospel message in the New Testament. Join us as we traverse the Ancient Near East (ANE) and look into the history and biblical worldview of our ancestors.
Teacher: Mark Centers
Week 1: Torah: Tower of Babel to the Promised Land
Week 2: Torah: The Creation Myths, Flood myths, ANE Law Codes, Slavery
Week 3: Prophets: Joshua to Rise of the Babylonian Empire
Week 4: Prophets: Holy War, Divination and Sorcerers, the gods of the Nations
Week 5: Writings: The Fall of Babylon to the Rise and Fall of the Persian Empire
Week 6: Writings: Old Covenant Life, ANE Poetry, ANE Temples and Cults
Sharing the Gospel with our Kids
Making the Biblical Case for God’s Image
Overview: Christian parents are eager to bring their children to church, to Sunday school, and mid-week youth groups. They are excited to read them Bible passages, practice memory verses, explain wise and thoughtful living in hopes that they will change their behavior. We want our children to act like Christians, but are we affecting their hearts toward Jesus? Are they developing a deep love for Christ? Will this love persist into adulthood? We know there’s no formula to guarantee salvation for our children, but there are practical habits we can foster in church, in class, and at home to drive gospel conversations and show the children around us the glorious and awesome God that we serve. Please join us as we explore and learn the various ways to show the young ones in our lives the beauty of Jesus.
Teacher: Kevin Johnson & Aaron Mullenix
Week 1: Why Share the Gospel with our Kids?
Week 2: Sin, Salvation, and Church Kids
Week 3: Jesus vs. Moralism
Week 4: Teaching Jesus from the Old Testament
Week 5: Teaching Jesus from the New Testament
Week 6: Habits at Home to Foster Gospel Conversation
